Women of Skiing

I was very excited this past fall when I was invited to be a part of an online series for Skiing Magazine called Women of Skiing. The first of these stories was Women of Jackson Hole, and it saw incredible success. My friends and fellow competitors Crystal Wright, Lynsey Dyer, and Jess McMillan were part of the success of those articles and I was honored to follow in their footsteps!

Articles like this sometimes bring up opinions about women, specifically female athletes, showing some skin in photos or on the silver screen. I think that some of this comes from the fact that we want to see female athletes as role models to younger generations. Some say that showing skin, or sexualizing yourself, is not setting a healthy example to younger ladies who look up to you. You can imagine from my segment as a ‘Woman of Alta’, that I do not feel that taking a photo without all of my clothes on takes away from my ability to be a role model. Being a role model is very important to me, and I am very proud to be a part of the non-profit SheJumps which allows me to connect with so many amazing females. These female inspire me, and I hope I do the same for them. To me, my photo and many others in this Women of Skiing series, show female strength, beauty and independence more than sexuality. Attractive? Yes. I think just about anything can be turned into something sexual. But you certainly do not need to take off or put on anything you’re uncomfortable with in order to be beautiful. As cheesy as it sounds, I personally think it’s mostly important to be true to yourself. Whether this puts you on the same page as me or not, that’s just fine. I certainly know that not everyone will agree with me.

There is so much more I could say on this subject, but its one that will continue to be debated. I’d really like to know what other females out there think. Whether you’re an athlete, a mother, or someone who looks up to female athletes, I know there is a lot to hear! You can find an awesome forum for all kind of discussions with other ladies who love the outdoors at the SheJumps Clubhouse. Its a female only network so I hope you’ll create a profile and connect with SheJumps!